Former French Industry Minister Montebourg Gives Up Presidential Bid

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th January, 2022) Arnaud Montebourg, former French Industry Minister and runner in the April presidential election as an independent leftist candidate, on Wednesday said that he decided to leave the race.

"I have decided to withdraw from the presidential race. I think it is unnecessary and hopeless to add disorder to the turmoil with too many candidates," he said in a video address posted on his Twitter page.

In December, the politician proposed to advance his candidacy to represent the entire left wing in the face of what he described as "political peril" from far-right parties.

Despite the efforts of his team, Montebourg failed to unite all leftist candidates under a common program for his campaign, the politician explained in a video address, adding that his "ideas definitely became foreign to (his) own political family," including reindustrialization, the transition from oil, the development of rural areas and demanding migration policy involving integration as a key point, among other proposals.

Montebourg has held around a 1% popularity rate in the latest polls.

The first round of the French presidential election is scheduled for April 10, and the second for April 24.